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Rallies celebrate, denounce Yoon's impeachment in downtown Seoul

Published: 06 Apr. 2025, 18:44

Rallies supporting, left, and opposing the Constitutional Court's decision to remove Yoon Suk Yeol as the president of Korea are held in central Seoul on April 5. [YONHAP]

The day after former President Yoon Suk Yeol was dismissed by the Constitutional Court on Friday, groups that had been holding rallies to calling for his impeachment once again gathered in central Seoul to celebrate his removal.

The group "Emergency Action for Yoon Suk Yeol’s Immediate Resignation and Social Reform," which had been calling for Yoon’s ouster, held a rally titled "Victory Day Pan-citizen March" near Dongshipjagak by Gyeongbok Palace in Jongno District on Saturday afternoon.

Police unofficially estimated the crowd at around 7,500 people as of 4:30 p.m. Saturday. Despite the rainy weather, participants wore raincoats or carried umbrellas and chanted slogans with bright expressions, such as “We won, democracy won.”

They encouraged one another with phrases like “thank you for your hard work” and cheered while repeating the Constitutional Court’s ruling: “The respondent, President Yoon Suk Yeol, is dismissed.”

Staff from Emergency Action wore party hats while maintaining order, and more than 100 flags that had appeared at past impeachment rallies fluttered in front of the plaza. Some attendees distributed celebratory snacks such as 〈i style="font-size: inherit;"〉tteok, or rice cakes, and hot dogs.

Rallies supporting, top, and opposing the Constitutional Court's decision to remove Yoon Suk Yeol as the president of Korea are held in central Seoul on April 5. [YONHAP]

Democratic Party Rep. Jung Chung-rae, chair of the National Assembly’s Legislation and Judiciary Committee who served as the impeachment prosecutor during the impeachment process at the National Assembly, took the stage and said, “I deeply thank the citizens who defeated the enemy of democracy with democracy itself,” adding, “This is the will of the people and the spirit of the Constitution.”

Jung also declared, “Those who defend, incite, or collaborate in insurrection must never be forgiven,” and added, “Parties that justify insurrection should not participate in the presidential election.”

“I hope that Yoon’s dismissal leads to a proper investigation and prevents tragedies like this from ever happening again," said Kim Sun-sin, the father of the late Kim Jeong-hun, a victim of the 2022 Itaewon crowd disaster, who also attended the rally.

Citizens celebrate the impeachment of former President Yoon Suk Yeol at a rally held in central Seoul on April 5. [JOONGANG ILBO]

Near the nearby Sungnyemun neighborhood in central Seoul, another civic group that had been demanding Yoon’s impeachment, named the Candlelight Action, held a separate rally.

About 500 people gathered, according to an unofficial police estimate. Participants held placards with messages such as “Thorough Purge of Insurrection Forces” and chanted slogans like “let’s unite patriotic forces to build a democratic government.”

“We must win the presidential election decisively through the complete end of insurrection and thorough reform," said DP Rep. Choo Mi-ae, speaking at the rally.

Meanwhile, supporters of former President Yoon also held a protest rally in central Seoul to denounce the Constitutional Court’s ruling.

Citizens celebrate the impeachment of former President Yoon Suk Yeol at a rally held in central Seoul on April 5. [JOONGANG ILBO]

The Korean Patriots' Movement Headquarters, led by Pastor Jeon Kwang-hoon of Sarang Jeil Church, held a rally titled “Gwanghwamun National Assembly for the Right of Civil Resistance” near Donghwa Duty Free Shop in Jongno on Saturday afternoon.

As of 4 p.m., police unofficially estimated around 18,000 participants, while the organizers claimed over one million people had gathered.

Participants held or attached placards to their umbrellas bearing slogans such as “Eradicate Antistate Forces” and “Invoke the Right of Civil Resistance,” chanting, “The fraudulent impeachment is null and void” and, “Dismantle the Constitutional Court.”

Pastor Jeon, speaking as a keynote speaker, said, “I absolutely cannot accept the Constitutional Court’s decision. The authority of civil resistance is above the authority of the Constitutional Court,” and added, “The court must be dismantled through civil resistance.” He continued, “You and I must prepare for a revolution like April 19 and May 16.”

A rally is held on April 5 in Gwanghwamun, central Seoul, protesting the Constitutional Court's decision to remove Yoon Suk Yeol from the presidential office. [YONHAP]

People Power Party (PPP) Rep. Yoon Sang-hyun also took the stage, bowed his head in apology, and said, “It was the fault of PPP lawmakers that we couldn’t protect the president,” adding, “We have become an ungrateful, disgraceful group.”

He stated, “The president started the war to defend our system, and though we fought together, he was sacrificed by the dark cartel forces. We must turn this sadness and anger into the energy to win and protect our liberal democracy.”

Among participants, speakers continued to denounce the eight Constitutional Court justices as “traitors.” Conservative-leaning justices Cheong Hyung-sik, Cho Han-chang Kim Bok-hyeong, and PPP Rep. Kim Sang-wook were among the main targets of criticism.

Meanwhile, Save Korea, a conservative Christian group, had initially planned a 20,000-person rally in Yeouido at 1 p.m. that day but canceled it following the Constitutional Court’s ruling.

BY LEE HAY-JUNE [[email protected]]